


their faces I thought were knives

by MiniNephthys



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-16 22:52:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5844097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frisk tells Papyrus about alternate timelines.</p>
            </blockquote>





	their faces I thought were knives

Frisk tells Papyrus first.

Well, that’s not exactly true. They told Sans first, but Sans already sort of knew, and if he knew a little then it was important for them to tell him the whole story, even if it came out jumbled and dotted with tears and pleas for him to forgive them, they know they messed up badly but please, they don’t want to do that ever again and they’re so sorry-

He’d forgiven them. Told them he was sorry, too, that they’d gone through that. That even somebody like him who was supposed to be looking out for them hadn’t done all that much to protect them, even when he had no reason not to.

But of the people who have no idea about timelines, Papyrus is the first one Frisk sits down in the living room for a Serious Conversation. Sans is in the kitchen, just in earshot but not part of the conversation, though his presence reassures Frisk a little. They know Papyrus well enough to know he won’t hurt them - they hadn’t been so sure with Sans - but they’re likely to upset him, and if he needs a hug, Sans is a better candidate to give him one.

“Do you know about other timelines?” Frisk starts, just to make sure.

“They’re something Sans used to research,” Papyrus replies. “But I can’t say I really understand them.”

That’s more than they thought, but not very much. “I… have this power. If I get hurt, I can go back in time a little, to when I felt really determined. Or, if I want to… I can go back to when I woke up in the Ruins.”

“That must be useful! I hope you didn’t have to use it too much, that would be very confusing,” he says, smiling.

They could almost laugh. “I used it a lot. Because I was killed a lot.”

Papyrus’ smile drops, and he’s about to say something sympathetic - but, no, this isn’t meant for him to feel bad for them. They don’t deserve to have his sympathy after all they’ve done.

So they interrupt. “When I first went through the underground, I was really scared, and when all these monsters attacked me… I fought back. And after a few tries, I learned how to kill them.”

He’s really listening to them now, expression completely serious. Even Papyrus knows what death is when it’s said in plain terms.

“I killed a lot of monsters in the Ruins, and I killed Mom. And then when I went through Snowdin… I killed you.” They swallow.

“...How many times?” he asks, quietly.

Frisk looks down. It’s too hard to see that sad expression on Papyrus’ face and know that they’re the cause. “I think… three. You were sparing me every time, but I… didn’t trust you. I thought maybe you’d hurt me if I let my guard down.”

“The Great Papyrus would never go back on his word.” It’s much less of a boast than normal, and more of a statement of fact. Something that Frisk feels should have been obvious to them even then.

“I’m sorry.” They wrap their arms around their chest. “I’m really sorry.”

“...What about Undyne?” he asks. “Her, too?”

“Five times,” they answer, not looking up. They could say something about how difficult it was to figure out how to spare her, but it feels like an excuse.

“And... Sans?” he asks, his apprehension clear without them having to look at his face.

That, at least, they can give an answer they feel… if not good about, then at least not filled with guilt over. “Never. I never even fought Sans.”

Papyrus is uncharacteristically silent for a few moments, and Frisk is about to apologize again when he swiftly pulls them into a hug.

“...Papyrus…?” they say, lifting their head from his chest to look at him. This is not how they pictured the conversation going.

“You must have been scared. Alone in a strange place, with monsters attacking you everywhere and no cool friends to help you out. Even I might have been a little-” he says, and then corrects himself to something more honest, “-no, I would have been terrified.”

“I can’t imagine you ever being scared,” they mumble.

“I can’t imagine you hurting anyone,” says Papyrus. They don’t answer. “Thank you for telling me the truth; as distressing as it is for both of us, I’m glad I know. And, thank you for giving me a chance to be your friend.”

They smile, weakly, and rest their head against his chest. “The best decision I ever made.”


End file.
